Teeth For Life

Your teeth are incredibly important. They serve you in so many ways. They help you to eat, they help you to speak, and they are an integral part of your smile. Considering how vital a service your teeth provide you, it's a good idea to take good care of them. You want those teeth to last from when they first emerge right up to when you're old and gray.

So, what can you do to make sure your teeth last for life? Pacific Northwest Prosthodontics is here to help. We can share some of our best tips for taking care of your teeth and, if you're in the Spokane, Washington, area, we can check your teeth out and ensure your teeth are in the best shape they can be.

Good Dental Hygiene Habits

One of the best ways to ensure that your teeth are with you for a long time to come is to practice good dental hygiene. A great place to start is with brushing and flossing. You should be brushing your teeth two times a day for two minutes each time. Be sure to use toothpaste with fluoride in it. Fluoride can help protect your teeth from decay. Don't forget the roof of your mouth and your tongue—bacteria can hang out there, too.

Flossing is vital for catching all the bits of food left behind after you eat. Using quality floss, scrape between each of your teeth, making sure to hit the tooth on each side. You can floss before or after brushing, whichever is more comfortable for you.

A rinse with mouthwash is the perfect finish to your daily dental hygiene routine. For more protection for your pearly whites, consider mouthwash that contains fluoride, just like your toothpaste. Whether your mouthwash has alcohol in it or not has no bearing on how well it works.

A Healthy Diet

Part of keeping your teeth healthy is eating the right foods—and avoiding the wrong ones. There are many delicious foods that can also strengthen your teeth. Leafy greens like spinach and kale are rich in calcium, as well as contain many of the vitamins and minerals that are good for your teeth and gums. Crunchy fruits like apples and pears can aid in cleaning your teeth, and because they increase salivation, they help in neutralizing citric and malic acids left behind by other food.

Dairy products such as cheese, yogurt, and milk are all loaded with calcium. Calcium helps your teeth remain strong. Cheese, in particular, is great for teeth. It contains casein and phosphorus, both of which can fortify the enamel on your teeth.

Just as important as knowing what to eat is knowing what not to eat. Most people know that avoiding sugary foods like candy, cakes, and cookies can help prevent tooth decay. But did you know that both sugar and diet soft drinks can be harmful to your teeth? Both contain acids that can damage your tooth enamel. Citrus fruits and juices can also wear down tooth enamel.

Drinking coffee, tea, and wine—in addition to not being good for tooth enamel—can stain teeth, so drinking those in moderation can help slow down that process. And hard foods, like nuts or hard candy, along with ice, can cause chips and cracks in your teeth.

Handle Issues as They Come Up

Everyone is busy. You may have work and family taking up a lot of your time. If you crack a tooth or think you may have a cavity, but they aren't really seriously bothering you, it can be easy to put off until later.

However, holding off on dental procedures may not only mean that your issues aren't being taken care of, but it may also mean they'll get worse. A cavity left untreated can turn into an infection that now requires not just a simple filling but a root canal. A chip left untreated could grow into a crack that now requires a crown on top. These more intensive treatments can be more costly and time-consuming than the simpler treatments which you might have had by going to the dentist immediately.

Some issues that should be taken care of as soon as possible include:

  • Toothache
  • Tooth sensitivity
  • Bad breath
  • Chipped or cracked tooth/teeth
  • Bleeding or tender gums

Toothache, tooth sensitivity, and bad breath may all be signs of tooth decay, while bleeding or tender gums can be a sign of periodontal (gum) disease. If your tooth is chipped or cracked, you need to have it looked at before it has a chance to become worse.

Don't Skip the Routine Dental Visits

They may be a hassle sometimes, but it's important to visit your dentist every six months for a deep cleaning and a dental exam. During these routine visits, not only will you get a thorough cleaning and a reminder about the best way to take care of your teeth, but your dentist also has the opportunity to check for any problems going on with your teeth or gums. Sometimes, you may not even have felt any symptoms, but there's an issue that needs to be resolved.

Depending on the issue at hand, your dentist may recommend you visit a prosthodontist. If you have experienced tooth loss, need a tooth restoration (or multiple restorations), or have aesthetic concerns, these are problems a prosthodontist is an expert at solving. A prosthodontist, such as we here at Pacific Northwest Prosthodontics, can talk with you about dental implants, dental crowns, dentures, tooth whitening, and veneers—or anything that will help restore your mouth to full function.

Your Teeth Can Last a Lifetime

With proper care, your permanent teeth can last a lifetime. You may need adjustments now and then, but routine visits to your dental professionals can ensure those are done in a timely manner. If you're concerned about your teeth and their ability to last for the rest of your life, don't hesitate to call our offices for an appointment. We'll be happy to sit down with you and talk about your dental goals. We want to help you meet—and exceed—them.